The 2014 Ignatz Awards have announced their nominations. As usual with this indie-comics focused award the nominees are an eclectic bunch, maybe even more eclectic than usual, going from the National Book Award-nominees Boxers and Saints in the Outstaind Graphic Novel category, to a mix of mostly little known outside indie circles nominees in Newcomer, Story and Comic…and that’s why the Ignatzes are great, they introduce us to a whole new list of comics to check out.

The nominees were chosen by a five-person jury this year consisting of Darryl Ayo, Austin English, Melissa Mendes, Thien Pham and Whit Taylor. Winners will be chonse by the attendees of the Small Press Expo on September 13th and presented in a gala awards ceremony that night, sponsored by Comixology and Submit.

Heidi MacDonald is the founder and editor in chief of The Beat. In the past, she worked for Disney, DC Comics, Fox and Publishers Weekly. She can be heard regularly on the More To Come Podcast. She likes coffee, cats and noble struggle.